Safety Management Systems (SMS) is the term used by Transport Canada to refer to a new regulatory and enforcement framework for civil aviation. This new framework puts increased reliance on the aviation industry to cultivate a safety culture and in so doing enhance aviation safety. It is the only country in the world to introduce such a framework for the aviation industry. SMS has been criticized as a potential risk to civil aviation and the flying public due to its heavy reliance on whistleblowers and self-regulation.
Contents
- 1 Description of SMS
- 2 Implications
- 3 The Implementation of SMS
- 4 Criticism of SMS
- 5 References
- 6 See Also
- 7 External Links
//
Description of SMS
SMS is defined by Transport Canada as:
…a businesslike approach to safety. It is a systematic, explicit and comprehensive process for managing safety risks. As with all management systems, a safety management system provides for goal setting, planning, and measuring performance. A safety management system is woven into the fabric of an organization. It becomes part of the culture, the way people do their jobs.
Canadian Aviation Regulations specify that SMS is “a documented process for managing risks that integrates operations and technical systems with the management of financial and human resources to ensure aviation safety or the safety of the public”, and should include
- a safety policy on which the system is based
- a process for setting goals for the improvement of aviation safety and for measuring the attainment of those goals
- a process for identifying hazards to aviation safety and for evaluating and managing the associated risks
- a process for ensuring that personnel are trained and competent to perform their duties;
- a process for the internal reporting and analyzing of hazards, incidents and accidents and for taking corrective actions to prevent their recurrence
- a document containing all safety management system processes and a process for making personnel aware of their responsibilities with respect to them
- a process for conducting periodic reviews or audits of the safety management system and reviews or audits for cause of the safety management system
- any additional requirements for the safety management system that are prescribed under these Regulations
Implications
From a regulatory perspective, SMS mark a move away from prescriptive regulations (in which regulatory requirements are set out in detail, and require strict adherence to specific criteria) to performance-based regulations (in which the objective is set out, and the regulated entity is only measured against achievement of the objective).
While acknowledging that achieving cultural change within organizations will be a challenge Transport Canada is confident that the new system will supplement the current regulatory framework, increasing the safety of civil aviation.
The Implementation of SMS
Transport Canada began implementing SMS in 2005.
Criticism of SMS
Lack of Enforcement Capacity
Critics of SMS have argued that for it to work, it is critical that regulatory oversight be constant and effective. They argue, however, that there is considerable evidence that Transport Canada is neglecting these responsibilities, at the cost of human lives. The whistleblower Hugh Danford, a former bush pilot and Transport Canada Civil Aviation Inspector, testified before the Standing Senate Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities on May 14, 2007:
It appeared to me that management’s main concern was to get out of the enforcement business and the liability issues inherent in that responsibility… Of the 20 Canadian crashes, 25% had a root cause of ‘lack of regulatory supervision’. This was not our interpretation; this information was quoted from TSB reports… I think the SMS concept is workable, but it can only work if there is a strong enforcement component. I get nervous when reports are mandatory and confidential.”
The Canadian Association of Journalists
Reliance on Internal Reporting
In addition to enforcement capacity concerns, there are concerns about the reliance on internal reporting of safety issues and violations. Given that the success of SMS relies on corporate culture, it has been argued that the new rules provide little whistleblower protection, leaving aviation industry employees vulnerable if they report shortcomings at the wrong time, to the wrong manager and in the wrong culture.
Other Criticisms
Other criticisms have also been raised regarding SMS:
- Risk assessments are performed by the company being regulated,, potentially leading to a conflict of interest.
- SMS may be biased towards large companies that are better able to implement and absorb costs associated with SMS.
- No formal risk assessment was conducted into SMS principles, and no other country has implemented SMS, leading to concerns that Transport Canada is unaware of the long-term costs, both in human and financial terms, of the new approach.
References
- ^ Transport Canada publication TP 13739
- ^ Canadian Aviation Regulations
- ^ Transport Canada SMS FAQ
- ^ Transport Canada SMS FAQ
- ^ Transport Canada SMS FAQ
- ^ Transport Canada SMS FAQ
- ^ Transport Canada SMS FAQ
- ^ Transport Canada SMS Implementation Timeline
- ^ Act to Amend the Aeronautics Act
- ^ Transport Canada Strategic Plan
- ^ Peace, Earth and Justice News
- ^ Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities minutes dated May 14, 2007
- ^ Canadian Association of Journalists
- ^ Canadian Association of Journalists press release
- ^ Chicago Daily Herald
- ^ “Whistling in the Dark”, Ottawa Citizen
- ^ Transport Canada SMS FAQ
- ^ Transport Canada SMS FAQ
- ^ Transport Canada SMS FAQ
See Also
- Safety
- Civil Aviation
- International Civil Aviation Organization
- Transport Canada
External Links
- Transport Canada SMS Site
Retrieved from “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safety_Management_Systems”
Categories: Safety | Air safety | Aviation law | Administrative law | Transportation safety | Aviation in Canada